Jean's Return
by Gwenievre1
Summary: It's two weeks after Jean sacrificed herself to save the others, especially Scott. Scott is in a deep depression and must speak at her funeral, but something unexpected happens. What is it? Read to find out! :)


Scott left his room. It was two weeks after Jean had sacrificed herself. The pain still crippled him, engulfing him in a deep depression. Wolverine was substituting his classes for him. Only those who were in the jet when Jean had died understood his solitude. They knew they had been close.

He entered the kitchen and sat at the island counter, putting his face in his hands. Painful memories of jokes and times with Jean (not inappropriate) filled his head. He shuddered under the weight of his grief. Never again would he feel her in his arms, bury his face in her red hair, feel her mind in his own.

"Scott?" It was Storm. He hadn't seen her when he'd first walked in.

"Storm." He replied, his friend coming up behind him. She put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"How are you feeling?" She asked, concern etched deep in her voice. Besides Professor Xavier, she was the only one who knew the extent of his love for Jean.

"It's impossible to say in words. Grief, pain, agony, excruciating. None of those words are strong enough, Storm."

She set a glass of water on the counter.

"Drink it. You've had barely any water since we've gotten back." Storm's voice was soft, like a mother encouraging her child to take medicine. Before he could touch the water, though, Scott saw something out of the corner of his eye.

It was Jean, her expression of pain.

"Jean." Scott breathed, sliding out of the chair.

"Scott?" Storm gripped his arm. "Scott what about Jean? Talk to me." Scott's eyes had clouded over, as if he was in a trance. He didn't reply, but kept walking over to the wall where Jean was.

"Jean." Scott whispered, his voice cracking. "How?"

Storm's eyes widened, understanding what was happening. She walked in front of Scott and put her hands on his face, carefully and strategically eliminating his peripheral vision.

"Scott, listen to me. Jean isn't here. She's gone. She can't come back." Storm's voice was urgent, and mentally she cried out to Xavier for help, sure he could feel the difference in Scott's thoughts.

Scott struggled and Storm kept him back. In his sleep deprived, pained state he wasn't strong enough to fight Storm off.

"Jean!" He screamed in agony, reaching desperately to her. "No! Jean!" He struggled harder.

"Scott you need to calm down. Jean isn't there. She's dead." Scott fell to the ground, broken sobs raking through his body. At that moment Xavier appeared, sending a thought wave to Scott to send him into a deep sleep.

Scott woke up to a light room. The only person in it was Professor Xavier.

"How are you feeling?"

"Do you really need to ask?" Scott's voice was bitter.

"Do you remember what happened last night?"

"I went into the kitchen. Storm was there." In truth that was all that Scott remembered.

"Driven by exhaustion and dehydration, you saw a hallucination of Jean. You couldn't calm down so we brought you up here after I shut down your mind."

At the mention of Jean, unimaginable agony swept through Scott. She was gone. Jean Grey-Summers, the love of his life, his wife, was gone.

"The funeral is today Scott. I want you to make a speech. Jean deserves it. You knew her best."

"Professor, you of all people know that would be impossible."

"Just try Scott." Xavier's voice was gentle. "Her legacy deserves to be known. And your students deserve the truth as to why you haven't been at class."

"Fine. I'll try." Scott stalked out of the room.

"Jean Grey was a great student. She worked hard and never complained. She was brave, kind, strong mentally, physically, and with her powers. However, I didn't know her that well. That person would be Scott, or as you know him, Professor Cyclops."

Scott got up, fighting to keep away the pain. He looked out at all of his students, and in that moment felt a slight tug in his mind. Only one mind felt like that. But Jean was dead.

"Jean-" He stopped, feeling the same tug. He glanced at Xavier, but it was clear only he was feeling it. He started again.

"Jean Grey was an incredible mutant, the most powerful telekinetic-" He froze again.

_Scott I'm here. I'm alive, Scott._

It was coming from somewhere nearby.

"Jean?" Scott looked around. He closed his eyes to concentrate. The students were silent, looking up at him. He knew they were wondering what was happening.

_Scott!_

She stepped out from behind the hedge. Her mind entered his.

_Scott. It's me. _

The students followed his gaze. He walked down the aisle slowly, not believing what he was seeing. Jean ran to him and they hugged tightly.

"How?" Tears were running down Scott's face and his voice cracked.

"I...don't know." Scott caressed her face, stroking her hair.

"I want to see your eyes." She reached up to take his sunglasses off, but he caught her by the wrists, shaking his head.

"No. No. You're death destroyed me once. Knowing that I killed you a second time myself would only destroy me further. I wouldn't be able to stand myself. I'd kill myself."

Jean looked him in the eye; the orange glow was all she could see.

"Trust me. You can't hurt me. I can control it." She slid his glasses off. Scott's eyes were squeezed shut tight. The students had never seen him like this before, so vulnerable, uncertain, afraid.

"Open your eyes Scott. I promise you won't hurt me." Her voice was soft, her face concentrated.

He slowly opened them. For a moment they glowed orange before the light receded behind his eyes. They were dark blue.

Scott looked at Jean in wonder, a small smile on his lips. He looked at her for a few moments, reveling in the feeling of looking at her without glasses. She looked the same. The glasses hadn't changed the way Scott saw colors, but the feeling of not hiding behind something was great.

He captured her lips with his, kissing her passionately for a few minutes, his arms around her waist. When they finally pulled away Scott noticed that all the students were floating because of her uncontrolled joy.

"You might want to calm down a little. You're making people jump out of their seats." He chuckled. Jean blushed slightly before gently lowering everyone back down.


End file.
